Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is going to publish my midgrade fantasy novel. The one I struggled to finish. And I can get used to saying this too: "My editor is the lovely Karen Wojtyla."

For all this loveliness, I owe untold thanks to my sweet and savvy (and lovely) agent Tracey Adams.

I also owe a small nod of gratitude to whatever magic resides in the campanile at Trinity College, Dublin:

I was lucky enough to visit in September, just after Tracey sent my manuscript out into the world. (Note to writers: I highly recommend a fun vacation to keep your mind off a manuscript sitting on editors' desks!)

Apparently, campus tradition says that it's bad luck to walk under the campanile if you're awaiting exam results, or other important news. So my husband made sure I walked around it. The rest of the tour group laughed. Little did they know!

The luck of the Irish? I believe! (Hey! Isn't McElderry an Irish name....?)